for what purpose?? just plinking 22lr is cheap so are the guns. for hunting centerfire. for self defense centerfire. for training 22lr is cheap especially when you got conversion kits for most centerfire. it just depends on the role. a .22lr makes a superb survival round.

for what purpose?? just plinking 22lr is cheap so are the guns. for hunting centerfire. for self defense centerfire. for training 22lr is cheap especially when you got conversion kits for most centerfire. it just depends on the role. a .22lr makes a superb survival round.

What does .22lr stand for? Am I right in guessing "lr" is rimfire? What makes one better for self defense over the other? Personally, I didn't think a .22 made for good self defense at all. I mean, I certainly wouldn't want to be shot with one but I didn't think it had much "stopping power". I was told a .357 magnum would definitely stop someone, anything smaller would stop someone but not as quickly, giving the attacker a few minutes to do some damage before he dies. Am I totally mistaken? I only know what I've been told.

But getting back to the rimfire vs. center fire. I guess I was kind of wanting to know what is the difference in each and what purpose are they best suited for. Let's say I wanted to get a .22 pistol just for some cheap fun at the range. Rim fire, then? What makes a center fire better for self defense vs. the rimfire? More power?

The term "rimfire" is generally considered synonymous with .22LR (the LR stands for long rifle, which is today's standard). In olden days there were many calibers of rimfire cartridges - not so today. Basically .22 handguns are good for serious target shooting & plinking. As a defensive round - nope.

Rimfire uses a compound located in the inside of the cartridge rim to start the explosive process.

Centerfire means any cartridge that uses a primer in the center of the base of the cartridge to start the process.

You should take a hunter safety or gun safety course. They will tell you all about different cartridges, actions and firing mechanisms. There are very few rimfire calibers produced today and none of them are serious self-defense handgun cartridges.
No offense, but anyone asking the questions you're asking needs education before buying a firearm.

You should take a hunter safety or gun safety course. They will tell you all about different cartridges, actions and firing mechanisms. There are very few rimfire calibers produced today and none of them are serious self-defense handgun cartridges.
No offense, but anyone asking the questions you're asking needs education before buying a firearm.

Well, I admit I don't know much about ammunition but I do own a gun. I know the basics of safety and I know about the gun I own. I will definitely look unto a gun safety course, though. Thank you for the suggestion.